Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Villain Details Emerge

When Ben Mendelsohn was first mentioned as a possible villain for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, he was said to be as deadly and dangerous as Darth Vader. Some inside sources even claimed he is set to be one of the franchise's most iconic bad guys. We haven't heard anything official about who this dastardly character is. But MakingStarWars does have some inside intel on whom the Rebel warriors may be dealing with.

In Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, a small army of Rebel soldiers goes on a mission to steal plans for the original Death Star, directly connecting it to 1977's Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope. There are rumors that classic villain Darth Vader will show up in a costume that is almost an exact replica of what we saw in those earlier movies. But there may be someone far more terrifying out to stop our heroes. And his most discerning feature is his soon-to-be iconic cape.

MakingStarWars claims that their inside source is purposely withholding information about whom this villain truly is. But he is believed to be a new entry in the official canon. Though, they claim he is a leader who appears to have some stature, and is most likely affiliated with the Galactic Empire. And this character, who has not officially been confirmed to be played by Ben Mendelsohn, is quite revered.

The character in question is definitely not Grand Moff Tarkin, who is also rumored to be returning for this adventure, after his appearances in Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope and Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. Tarkin is not someone who would ever be seen wearing this type of fancy cape. And it sounds like this is the distinguishing mark of the new villain. The cape is said to be huge and majestic. It is white with a slit down the back. At one point in the movie, the villain is seen treading through a shallow body of water, his cape trailing on the surface behind him.

This particular character is said to be an older male, which is where all the Ben Mendelsohn speculation comes in. The villain is said to have what is sure to become a legendary sidearm. And he has a very cool name, though that won't be revealed until a much later date. There is a second shot in the movie that shows him walking through a legion of Stormtroopers and other Imperials. The shot in question will be a direct callback to when Darth Vader and The Emperor meet for the first time at the beginning of Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi.

Again, through all of this, MakingStarWars can't express enough how neat and awe inspiring this villain's cape is. And they're quite certain that it isn't the character played by Mads Mikkelsen. His character is said to be decked out head-to-toe in earth tones. And one shot will show Mads Mikkelsen standing in a massive golden colored field. What do you think? Is this spinoff shaping up to be something quite special? Or does it all sound a little corny? Sound off in the comments below.